Rest
by runaway4ever
Summary: The camp they found was...living hell, even Speirs couldn't keep his usual composure. As Speirs sat there, with the old man held carefully to his body, two soldiers watched how their new CO became a man they both feared and yet trust him with their lives.


**Author's Note: Hello! This is my SECOND story so far...and I feel pretty good about it.****This one took a longer time though...**

**First off, I want to THANK YOU those who reviewed. You gave me motivation to write this one. So; H.J. Bender, captain ty, ber1719; You guys are awesome :D**

**This a Ron Speirs-ish story. He is my 2nd fave character on the show. Yay! x] I LOVE reading Speirs stories on here. There are always so wonderful!**

**Anyways, I hope you guys like this. It's a LOT longer than my first. Once again tell me what you think, I'm still an amateur :)**

_**Disclaimer:** I love and respect the Men of Easy Company, so I am deeply sorry if you felt offended reading this...but this story is purely entertainment._

That stench was horrible, but the people inside looked worse. What the hell is this place ? It looks similar to a prison back in the States...but this..this is almost inhuman. The people...were like walking bags of bones.

The guys stayed back from the gates as Major Winters ordered the doors to be open. One by one, Easy Company eased their way in...to a world of horror and unjustice. And it left them with unforgettable memories that affected the rest of their lives...

_Perconte tried to slow his breathing and rapid heart beats as best as he can. He ran around asking and searching for an officer until Alton More pointed to where Major Winters was and Frank sped off towards that direction. "Major Winters...sir, uhhh we found something on our patrol and, uhhh...we came across this-"_

_"What...what? Frank, Frank...what is it ?" Dick asked calmly._

_Perconte paused, still trying to catch his breath. _

_"...I dont know,sir...I-I don't know..."_

Up until now, Dick still couldn't find a clear answer nor could any other officer.

More of these "**prisoners**" kept coming. Some of the men were too shocked to speak. All they could do was stand there and watch quietly. Disbelief was reflected on everyones' face. And for the first time in this war, the men felt...helpless. They didn't know what to do. Or how to help. Or even where to begin.

These locked up men clinged onto the soldiers as if they were the last lifesaver on a sinking boat. Some of the "**prisoners**" were crying and hugging these men with the most grattitude these soldiers have ever recieved so far...and all they did was open the gate.

Captain Speirs walked around watching the men intently for their reactions. His face was void of any emotion. This was wrong. This whole scene was a nightmare. How can any man do this ?

_Hitler can and he would._

Ron thought bitterly to himself.

_That's because Hitler's a coward. He based his success on only lies. Tricking the German people into thinking he knew what was best..._

Ron shook his head and a deep sigh rumbled up from his throat and slipped off his lips.

Right now wasn't the time to think about that lame ass excuse of a man or leader.

Somewhere in the distance, he heard Liebgott getting called. Speirs quickly wandered back to Dick and the other officers, listening to an unfamilar man talking to their young translator.

...The talking was finally done. And Speirs couldn't believe the story that went on for the last couple of minutes. Lock up...for being Jewish! These people were locked up because of their way of life ? Locked up because they were...insignificant to _goddamn Hitler_...

He stalked off angrily and sat down on top of a pile of rubble.

_This is bullshit, all of this..._

Speirs was staring off into space when he heard a quiet groan. He turned to his left slowly and saw an old man. Alive but barely, probably too weak to get up. The old man's lips were dry and cracked. Speirs slowly took out his canteen and got on his knees by the man. He craddled the old man's broken body._Broken soul_. _Broken spirit, Broken...everything._ He then brought the canteen to the man's mouth. The water-deprived old man drank the canteen within a few seconds. Speirs was too shaken to say anything.

"Danke...d-danke", the old man said gratefully.

"You're gonna be...okay", Speirs replied, hoping he'd understand.

"No, no...I-I think..t-this is the end for m-me...", the old man mumbled with a heavy accent.

The old man smiled softly and looked up at the blue but sorrow-filled sky.

"It has been a very long journey for me...but now...I am ready for some rest..."

Speirs stared at the old man's warm but now lifeless body.

_A very long journey, indeed..._

He finally gave up the fight, and let the tears fall. His vision blurred with a salty substance that was rare to him. He hasn't shed a tear since he left his mom back home, nearly 3 years ago.

_"Now you keep safe and play nice with those boys at the camp, you hear me ?", Ron's mom said to him the night before he left for basic training._

_"I got it mom, I heard you the first 200 times..." Ron chuckled and walked to the couch to sit down._

_His mom slowly walked over and scooted next to him. In a flash, her face became serious._

_"I know you're gonna make a wonderful soldier. Even though you dont talk or open up about it, I know you like playing hero. Now...don't you go do something stupid, okay ?"_

_Ron nodded his head and took his mom's hands._

_"I won't...I know you still need me...", he told her quietly._

_His mom was crying softly now, "Damn right I-I do, as s-soon as you get b-back...Im going to have a big load of dishes and laundry that will need to be c-clean."_

_His own tears were falling gently down his cheeks._

_"Ronald Speirs, I'm ordering you right now, to come back to me after this damn war...in one piece, alright ? A whole body with no missing limps, a beating heart, and a pair of working lungs, you hear me?...no..no American flag or any letters...I don't want any of it."_

_He nodded his head again. He didn't know if that nod and his words meant that he will come back 100% or that, he knew his mom needed to see and hear that, so she can sleep tonight._

_"I promise..."_

Ten feet away, Webster and Luz watched in awe and admiration. Not only was their new CO a good leader in combat but now they know Captain Speirs is capable of showing human emotions.

So...maybe Ronald Speirs did shoot all those prisoners on D-Day. And maybe he did shoot one of his own guys for being drunk. And he probably did both without feeling guilty but this...

-this scene only left one thought in David Webster's head.

"So, this...is what redemption looks like..."

Luz nodded his head in agreement.


End file.
